Winter Flurry
by bluelily3
Summary: Amy Rose fans BEWARE! There is a new girl on the scene! Her name is Winter, and she's a snowboarder extraordinaire! Her and Sonic meet up on accident, and the few minutes they share together are filled with sparks. What will Amy do? What will Sonic do? CHAP 8 UP!
1. Chapter 1

The girl removed her goggles, her breath misting the air around them. She laughed into the falling snow, tilting her head back. The laugh was not a girlish giggle, but the deep-throated chuckle of an older female. The snow fell on her eyelashes, and he realized they were white. Her pale blue eyes pinned him, and he could see her pupils were dilated with excitement. He laughed with her and removed his own goggles.

"You were...right behind me the whole time. I've never met anyone... who could ride a board like that. " He said breathlessly. She laughed, delight in those crystalline eyes.

"Well, you surprised me. I've never met _my _match before." She said. He brushed the snow from his quills, and was about to introduce himself, but found that he could only smile wider. He gritted his teeth to keep them from chattering in the cold. The girl hedgehog brushed a white tendril of hair out of her eyes and leaned in further to get a closer look at him. Unexpectedly, he swallowed hard and almost backed away. He could smell the wind on her. Wind and snow... and a wildness that was familiar to him. She smelled like...adventure. His heart skipped a beat, and he almost lost his balance. His legs felt weak, and he did not like the feeling.

"I've seen you before. In newspapers, and even on...TV?" Her eyes were unsure, and he kept smiling, but tilted his head ever so slightly in a nod. A look of triumph glowed in her eyes.

"You're Sonic the Hedgehog, aren't you?"

He wanted to shout out a cheerful "Yep!" and dash away, full of confidence and mystery, but something kept him from show-boating this time. This girl made him want to stick around, even though his stomach was in knots. Suddenly her eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing in IceCap, Sonic?"

He was taken aback by her suspicion. He had almost expected her to go all fan-girl and flutter around, like most girls did when they found out who he was. Her reaction was almost a relief.

"I come here all the time. It never seemed to be a problem before."

The girl smiled.

"There's no problem. I'm just amazed that you don't have anything better to do besides snowboarding."

"You mean like saving the world?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, no. I know you have more of a life than that, right?"

"Do I?" He looked at the snow beneath his feet.

"I'm starting to wonder about that."

Suddenly he felt her hand grab his and squeeze a little. She wore pale purple gloves that he hadn't really noticed before.

"Well, hey! You can come here whenever you feel like it, okay? To give the world saving thing a break, right?" He laughed at her bravado.

"Right." Suddenly the air around them was pierced by a beeping sound. Sonic lifted up the edge of his glove and glanced at a device around his wrist.

"Oh, hey. I gotta go. It's my buddy, Tails." The girl picked up his board and handed it to him.

"Sure. See ya later?" "Um..." He glanced at the orange snowboard under his arm. "Actually, do you think you could keep this for me? You see, I kind of need to run fast, and the board.." "Yeah, that's fine. It'll be at the lodge with mine. Just come by when you want to ride the powder with me again."

"That'd be great. You sure are a challenge." He turned around to run, but then he stopped.

"Wait," He threw his head over his shoulder and smiled at her. "I didn't catch your name."

"It's Winter." She gestured around her at the falling snow when she said it.

"Well, that should be easy to remember."

"Yeah, Winter in IceCap. No problem, huh?" She laughed again, the sound bouncing off the cliff side and giving Sonic that strange feeling again.

"And I know I won't forget who you are, hero." She turned around, his board under one arm and hers under the other.

"See you around, then?"

He nodded and started to dash back up the hill, a flurry of snow scattering behind him. For some reason, he couldn't resist glancing over his shoulder one more time. He had created a gust of wind when he sped up and he wondered what she would do about it. He watched as she threw her snowboard under her feet and coasted backward on his wake, whooping with delight. He chuckled to himself as he sped up the mountainside, his head dizzy with excitement. He definitely had to see this Winter girl again.


	2. Chapter 2

"Whoa! Steady, Sonic!" Sonic snapped out of it long enough to see that the plane engine he was holding was about to pin his fingers beneath the portal they were inserting it into. He snatched his hands away just in time, and the engine settled none too gently in its compartment. Tails's breath hissed between his teeth.

"Are you okay? You almost crushed your fingers!" Sonic blinked and shook his head to clear it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just.. had something on my mind." Tails shook his own head.

"It must've been a big something. You're usually much more alert than that. Especially when you're helping me with the plane.'"

"How's the engine? I didn't damage it, did I?"

"Nah, I don't think so. I built her tough." Tails smiled as he took off his oil-stained gloves.

"So...what's up?" His smile turned mischievous.

Sonic sat down on an upturned barrel, and Tails sat on one across from him.

"Okay, buddy. I'll tell you, but do you think you could keep it under your hat for awhile? I don't really want all of Station Square to broadcast it."

"You don't want to put them in a panic?" Tails's smile vanished and was replaced with a concerned frown.

"What? What do you...Oh, you think it's something bad. No, it's nothing like that." Tails let out a breath.

"Phew. Okay, so what is it?" "Well, you know how I went snowboarding at IceCap earlier today?" He leaned closer to Tails and his green eyes lit up. Tails nodded and smiled half-heartedly. This was about _IceCap_?

"Yeah...?"

"I was getting in some really good moves, when I heard someone tailin' me."

"Really? Someone was keeping up with _you_?"

"Yep. And guess what? It was a girl hedgehog!"

"Whoa. I haven't seen one around here for awhile. Besides Amy, I mean. Wait, in Icecap? Did you get her name? What did she look like?"

"She's pale blue, like the sky. She's got these awesome pale eyes too, even her eyelashes are white. And her laugh!" Sonic was so animated, he hadn't realized that he'd said everything he had been thinking about.

"Whoa, Sonic. Slow down!" Tails laughed.

"What was her name?

"I almost forgot to ask her that, but she told me before I left. Tails, you wouldn't believe it. She rode my _wake_! You know how most people get blown away? Well, she just smacked down her snowboard and when I took off she-"

"Sonic! A name!"

"Huh? Oh, her name. It's Winter. Anyway she-"

"Winter? Whoa! As in _Winter Birchwood_? Sonic, do you know who this girl is?"

Sonic paused. "What do mean, who she is? Is she famous or something?" Tails looked appalled.

"Sonic! Don't you ever watch The Winter Sports? Winter Birchwood is a five-time national champion! No wonder she could keep up with you! And you got to board with her! Oh, this so awesome!"

"Wait, five-time champion? You mean she entered five years in a row? How old was she when she first competed?"

"She was only fourteen! That's what makes her so great! I've been watching her since I was little. Are you sure you've never see her on TV?"

"Hey, you know me. I don't watch much TV." "I can't believe you met _the _Winter Birchwood! I heard that she lived in IceCap, but I never guessed she would be so close! If I had only known... Sonic, I _gotta _meet her!"

Sonic stood up. This hadn't gone the way he had expected it to at all.

"Now, what a minute, Tails. I met her today, and I didn't even know who she was. It was easier that way, because... look, maybe we should just give her some room, you know? Meet her later? We don't want to overwhelm her."

"Yeah, I guess so. She probably likes her privacy. I know how you don't like fans barging in on you. Hey, I know. Maybe you can tell her about me first, to alert her. And them maybe arrange a meeting? I mean, it _is _just me, after all. I'm just one little fox."

Sonic was silent for a minute or two, not knowing how to approach the situation. It _was _only Tails, and he couldn't keep her to himself. He didn't even really know her.

"Please?" Tails eyes begged him. Sonic caved. Tails was his best friend; he practically raised him.

"Sure, Tails. That shouldn't be a problem. I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

"Awesome! When do you think would be a good time?"

"Hmm, I don't know. I'll talk to her tomorrow. Then we'll see what happens, okay?"

"All right!" He punched the air, then went to the sink to wash the oil from his face. Sonic turned towards the door.

"Well, I'm off. I'll see you, tomorrow, buddy."

"Okay, Sonic!"

That night, Sonic went online when he got home. He looked up "National Winter Sports" and there she was, under the category for "Snowboarding". There wasn't even a women's division. It was co-ed. Which meant she had beaten everyone, male and female, for five years in a row. As he scanned the list, he noticed odd names on it. They were numbers. Robots. Winter was faster and could trick-out more than a robot could. He caught his breath and stared at pictures of her in action. When that wasn't enough, he watched videos. As he watched, an intense feeling swept over him. He wanted more of her, and the sensation was very unsettling.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun had only been up for two hours when Amy Rose strolled along his beach. As she approached Sonic's house, her heart fluttered the same familiar flutter it always had. Sometimes she loved him so much that she didn't know what to do with herself. She wanted to yell out her feelings, to hold him in her arms under the stars, to write his name in the sky. She would do anything for him. Last night she had dreamed that she jumped in front of a train in Station Square to save his life. She almost laughed now, knowing it would never happen, because he was too fast, but... The image of his horrified face as she pushed him aside still burned in her mind. The dream had went on, even after she was hit. She saw him screaming out her name, running to the front of the train, and holding what was left of her broken body. He had cried and cried. It was horrible, but so romantic at the same time. She knew in the dream that he loved her. When she stopped to think about it, she realized that she had never seen him cry before. He was always so cheerful and confident. Just like her. She knew that someday he would see it. Someday, he would love her back.

The dream had disturbed her enough that she wanted to see him. The image kept playing in her head of those tears. Those beautiful tears streaming out of his emerald eyes. She took a deep breath and let the feeling settle. How could something be so sad and feel so good at the same time? Did it make her a horrible creature because she enjoyed seeing him sad? Amy sighed again. She didn't know how she should feel. She just knew that she wanted to see him. She knew that he wouldn't let her hold him, but she didn't care. Even his confused and slightly annoyed face was good enough for her.

He would be just out of bed, he quills all ruffled up, his eyes still sleepy, his ears drooping. He would sit on the barstool at the counter with his orange juice and he would humor her. She knew that he always ate a big breakfast of mostly meat for protein (where he got some of his endless energy) and he always drank orange juice before breakfast, and a glass of milk afterwards. (Both were loaded with vitamins, apparently.) She also knew how he held his fork, and that no matter how fast he ate, he always cleaned his plate and never got a crumb anywhere. After he ate, he liked to check his emails, and after about ten minutes of typing (he answered every single fan letter) he would go to his exercise room and limber up for the day.

Of course, Amy wasn't with him every morning, but she felt like he was hers. She couldn't imagine any other girl being part of that routine, and if he ever fell in love...she would just die inside. Especially knowing that if the two felt the same about each other, the stranger would actually wake up with him and _share _her morning with him. She shuddered. Amy liked to think that he couldn't fall in love. Sonic cared about everyone so much that he couldn't fall completely in love with someone. He couldn't give his whole heart away, because all the pieces of it belonged to everyone. She knew there was at least a piece of it that belonged to her.

She opened the door to his beach house, a small but comfortable place that had giant glass windows and a huge wrap-around porch, open to the ocean air. Just looking at Sonic's house made one think of freedom. He never locked the door, because people came in and out all the time and he was very social.

When she walked in, she heard soft music coming from his computer. That was odd. He usually didn't have it on quite yet.

"Sonic?"

She put her purse on the counter. There were dishes in the sink, but not as many as there usually were. Was he in a hurry to get somewhere? The dishes looked like he had only eaten half of what he normally ate. She peered around the corner into the exercise room. Empty. There was a spot on the wall that looked especially empty. What had been there before? For the life of her, she couldn't remember. She went back out to the living room/office and the computer switched to another song. Ska music. He always listened to those joyful, rapid horns and electric guitars. He liked _Smashmouth_, and some songs by the _Mighty Mighty Bosstones._ Sometimes he listened to dance or techno, like _Effiel '65_, _Daft Punk _or _Foster the People_. Most of it was uplifting, happy. He would never "angst it out" and listen to _Linkin Park _or _Crossfade_. If he did want to rock out, he went for _All American Rejects_ or _Daughtry_.

Amy shrugged her shoulders, wondering where he had gone. She was just about to grab her purse and leave, when something caught her eye. Next to the printer there was a small bundle of papers. It was strange, because he didn't print anything out very often. As she moved closer she noticed that they were articles and interviews. She picked one up.

"Birchwood Scores the Gold Again." She read aloud. She continued to shuffle through the papers. Each one was about the same person. Winter Birchwood. Amy cocked her head to the side. Winter? That five-time national champion? She was pretty cool, but she had no idea Sonic was a fan of hers. When she put the papers down, she accidentally bumped into the mouse, taking the computer off the bouncing colors of the screensaver. Right smack in the middle of the screen was an action shot of Winter Birchwood. She was smiling at the camera as she pulled a trick. The smile was wide and confident. A lot like Sonic's. Suddenly, like lightning, Amy remembered what had been missing from the blank wall in the exercise room. Sonic's snowboard.


	4. Chapter 4

Winter knew who he was. She knew what he had done for their world. That didn't stop her from surfing the net for hours on end. He was everywhere in the cyber stream. After 2 am, she lay her face in the palm of her hand with a sigh. There was something she couldn't figure out. In all of his pictures and interviews, he seemed...full of himself. Cocky to a point of a arrogance. But yesterday, when she had met him, he hadn't seemed that way at all. Did he put on a certain attitude for publicity? Winter wouldn't really blame him if he did. Sometimes the fame and fandom caused her to be a little braver than she normally would, but she genuinely loved what she did. Those smiles as she reached top air on a jump were real. Sure, sometimes she would show-boat, just to get the crowd going, but over the years she tried hard not to be arrogant. She hoped that Sonic wasn't truly that way. Maybe he needed to be brought down a peg or two. Gently, of course.

Sonic screeched to a halt in front of the lodge. He had barely remembered where it was, and he hoped it was the only one there, and Winter hadn't been talking about another one. IceCap was a pretty big place, and although he knew he wouldn't get lost, there were certain parts of it he'd never been in. He'd already taken a portal, since it was on Angel Island. Yesterday, he was going to hang out with Knuckles after he went snowboarding, but he had been a little out of it after meeting Winter. He wondered if he could ask Knuckles about her. She lived on the island, so it could be possible that he knew her. Then again, Knuckles didn't really befriend very many people. And, like Sonic, he didn't watch TV either. Sonic shrugged. Anything he wanted to know about her, he'd just ask. She seemed like a pretty honest girl.

As he went to open the door, he noticed that it had a sign on it that read: Birchwood Lodge. She had never told him it was _her _lodge. Maybe it was family owned. Winter was eighteen though, which meant that she would own it herself. Unlike humans, the animals came of age sooner. When they were around twelve, their parents would start distancing themselves from their children, and by the time they were around fourteen, they were usually ready to live on their own. That was why Sonic and his friends didn't live with their parents anymore, and had their own houses. Tails was an exception, since he was so young, but he had lost his parents a long time ago, which was the reason Sonic had taken him under his wing.

When he walked in, there were people and animals bustling around, getting ready to get out in the snow. It was still only nine in the morning, but some of the people were extremists. Sonic admired their ambition. He stood in the lobby, unsure of what to do to find Winter. Then he noticed a receptionist. She was a cat, which was a bit surprising. After awhile, he noticed that the lodge was populated with more animals than he had originally thought. Winter must have made them a little more welcome here than they were in other places.

He walked up to the receptionist. She held up one finger, and he realized that she was on the phone. Just when he was resisting the urge to tap his foot, he felt someone nudge him.

"Hey, you! I didn't think you were one of the 'morning boarders'. Do you like this place that much?" Winter beamed at him as he turned and smiled back at her.

"Well, we don't have to go out just yet. I was hoping I could get some one-on-one time with you, maybe ask some questions?"

"Oh, man. You're not a reporter in disguise, are you?"

"Nah. Unless you really wanna tell me what your true inspiration in life is."

"How about we just settle for the easier questions, like what my favorite color is."

"Ha, ha. All right." Winter led Sonic to the lodge's cafe, where a few people were still eating breakfast.

"You hungry?" Winter asked.

"Nah, I already ate."

"Wow, you _are _ahead of the game, aren't you?"

"It's already nine a.m. It's not like it's five or something. Although I have been known to get up that early. But not that often. I burn too much energy to get up _that _soon."

"I wondered about the whole energy thing." She stood up. "Hold on, I'm gonna get some coffee. Do you want some?"

"Oh, no thanks. I don't touch the stuff."

"What, really? Where do you get your energy if not from coffee?"

"I'll tell you when you get back." Sonic leaned back in his chair, bending it dangerously backwards. When Winter came back, she noticed that his eyes were constantly darting around. He was taking in his surroundings, and he was doing it so fast that he looked like he was on the lookout for snipers. She sat down.

"Is this place overwhelming to you? If it is, we can move to my-"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, you just seem...overly aware of your surroundings. Like you're on high alert, or something."

"Oh, that. I don't even notice anymore. I'm just that way, I guess. I do everything fast."

"Wow. That must be kind of hard."

"How do you mean?" "Don't you ever get to relax?"

"Of course. I just don't really need to until the end of the day. Or if I use a lot of energy. My super form usually wipes me out pretty good." Winter nodded, and sipped her coffee slowly.

"So, you don't like coffee? Not that it would be big deal if you didn't."

"No, I just can't drink it. I can't handle caffeine."

"Really? Why not?"

"Let's just say my body's not designed for it." He smiled at her confused expression.

"Designed...?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of different from your average hedgehog."

"Well, I figured that. What with the super sonic speed and everything." They paused, looking at the table.

"Is this too weird for you?" He suddenly asked.

"What?" Winter's eyes widened.

"I mean, me. Is it freaking you out, or something? I guess I am kind of like one of those kids on X-Men, if you think about it. Different."

"No, that's not it. I just don't know where to start. I have so many questions...and you are...well, anyway." She sipped her coffee again and looked beyond him.

"Hey, I don't mind. Ask me whatever you want. It takes a lot to offend me." His smile was so open and he was so sure of who he was that Winter chuckled.

"Okay, then. Let's see...oh, the coffee thing. What does it do to you?"

"If I drank more than two cups of it, I'd have a heart attack."

"Seriously? That's...direct."

"Hey, you asked." He laughed at her.

"What makes that happen?"

"My heart beats a little bit faster than normal. That means my blood moves faster, which makes my muscles move faster. You get the picture. I'm fast." He laughed again. Winter admired how he was so happy. It uplifted her spirits. She liked being around him.

"But..how?"

"How, what?"

"How is that possible?" Sonic arched an eyebrow in question.

"I mean, it's like you were engineered to be a certain way."

"I was." He shrugged.

"Wait, you're flesh and blood, right? You're not like that Shadow guy, who's an android?"

"No, no. I'm totally organic. I was just, you know. Born this way."

"But isn't it a problem having a heart that beats so fast? Like an abnormality?"

"Nope. It's just the right speed for the way my body works. See, I've been tested. When my parents discovered my speed, they took me in to be looked at." He paused, checking to see if she was still interested. Her hand was supporting her chin, her body was leaned towards him, and her coffee was forgotten. He continued.

"They figured out that my heart has a separate chamber that moves most of my blood supply to my legs when I need them. It's voluntary, so when I think about running fast, my body sort of kicks into a different gear."

"That's...so cool."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." They laughed.

"Wait," Winter said. "I've heard about something like that before. Isn't there another kind of animal that has the multi-chambered heart?"

"Hmm. I think there's a crocodile that does it."

"That's right. Only it's the legs and its mouth that kick into overdrive when it hunts."

"Uh-huh." They sat silent for awhile, and Sonic traced invisible patterns on the wood grain.

"So, I didn't really come here to talk about me. I was gonna ask-"

"Wait, just one more question." Sonic chuckled.

"Okay."

"How fast can you run?"

"Well, if I'm really into it, I can got around 768 miles per hour."

"Isn't that as fast as the speed of sound?"

"I can break the sound barrier, yeah."

"And in your super form?"

"I'm not sure of the exact numbers on that one. It's quite a bit faster though. Enough to where I can have difficulty controlling it."

"Faster than the speed of light?"

"Oh, no way. The speed of light is millions of miles per _second._"

"Oh yeah. I guess you're not _that _incredible, huh?" She teased him.

"Not quite." He laughed and ran his hand through his quills.

"Enough about me, though. I feel like _I'm _the one being interviewed."

"Sorry. It's just so fascinating, and I've never gotten to talk to you face-to-face like this."

"No need to apologize. But I really need to ask you something."

Winter's heart skipped a beat. What was he going to ask her?

"Okay?"

"It's about my friend Tails. He's uh...a really big fan of yours."

"Tails Prower? Really?"

"Yeah! And he wants to meet you sometime."

"That would be awesome! I'd love to meet Tails. I read about his inventions in magazines all the time. He's amazing."

"Wow, I didn't think you'd be such a science buff." Winter laughed.

"Hey, I'm mostly action, but I still love to learn."

"Cool. About that action...do you wanna hit some snow? It looks perfect out there this morning."

"All right. I'm ready if you are."

"Oh, I'm ready. I was hoping you could teach me some of your moves?"

"Sure. If you teach me some of yours." Her eyebrows arched, and Sonic could feel the heat rising to his face. He got up from the table and started to walk ahead of her.

"You're on!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Does it always snow here?" Sonic asked. He and Winter had been boarding into the afternoon, and they had stopped at the bottom of a hill when they realized they were getting hungry.

"Yep. Pretty much. IceCap is in a different temperate zone then a lot of other places on the Island. I think our altitude is much higher, too." Sonic shivered. Normally he could handle a little cold, but they had been out in the elements most of the day. Winter looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Sonic. You must be freezing! Let's head back to the lodge." Winter walked in the heavy snow towards a chair-lift, and Sonic sped up the hill, happy to at least have his blood flowing again.

Amy Rose shivered behind a dense patch of trees. She had wondered when that girl would notice that she was freezing Sonic to death. Was she going to keep him here all day in this horrible, cold wasteland? Sure, her snowboarding skills were amazing, but... Amy had blinked back tears when she watched them together. They hadn't been competing like she thought they would. They had been working together, learning off of one another. It was like watching some sort of snowboarding team. She had never imagined that someone could look so good with Sonic. Even her pale, almost iridescent blue color looked right with Sonic's darker blue as they streaked through the sky. It just wasn't fair. She had tried her whole life to be with Sonic, really _click _with him, and here was this girl, no, _woman _who didn't even really know him, and they...worked. Even Amy could see that. Part of her wanted to give up and let them be, but another part of her couldn't. She had worked so hard, and she wouldn't throw away her love for Sonic that easily. Besides, so far, it just looked like Sonic and Winter were just friends. They hadn't kissed or hugged. Surely Sonic was impatient enough with everything else in his life to the point where if he had a girl he really liked he'd...No, she couldn't think of that. Not Sonic. He couldn't like her that way, anyway. He just couldn't. They had no history together. There was nothing there. But she still remembered the way their eyes flashed at each other. She'd seen things, little things that someone in love wouldn't miss.

Before she was at the bottom of the hill, she had been at the top, watching everyone else as well as Sonic and Winter. She rode the chair-lift most of the time, and with each hour, she couldn't believe that they were still there, still in motion, and they didn't even seem winded. Well, she knew Sonic well enough, but to see this girl match his energy! It was almost too much. It was only until she had gotten to the bottom of the hill, and was in the trees, that she really felt like she was spying. Sonic wouldn't be happy with her. She wasn't happy with herself. The more jealous she got, the more she felt like a horrible monster. If Winter wasn't hanging out with Sonic so much, she might even have tried to be friends with her.

About a mile or two away from Amy hovered an Egg Camera. It had been hard at work recording the day's events of Sonic and Winter. The images transferred back to one of Eggman's bases. On a large screen complete with audio, the video shown out at Eggman like a gem. He rubbed his gloved hands together in delight.

"So...Sonic fancies this girl, does he? I thought so when I saw the recording from Agent W's camera yesterday. She caught it by accident, but it should be just the right thing to get what she needs, if she keeps it up." The robots around him hummed and scuttled around wordlessly. Eggman was so used to talking to himself that he didn't notice when he was doing it.

"Computer! Rewind back to the cafe scene. I want to confirm my suspicions." The computer flashed backwards to an image of Sonic and Winter talking at the table in the lodge's cafe.

[Scene recorded at 9:16 a.m.] The computer voiced.

"Zoom in on that pitiful rodent's face." The camera moved forward. He heard the girl's voice.

"And your super form?" Sonic's face remained passive as he explained to her.

"I'm not sure of the exact numbers on that one. It's quite a bit faster..."

"No, no! Skip past this part, computer! Go to the part where they stand up and start to leave!" The image crackled as it fast-forwarded, then stopped. Sonic was tensed to stand up when the girl arched her eyebrows at him and said:

"Sure. If you teach me some of yours." He stood up then, and faced the camera.

"Computer, zoom." It zoomed in closer, so Eggman could see his expression. He was walking away from the table, and a bright pink flush spread across his face. He visibly swallowed and even teetered on one foot slightly.

"Perfect!" Eggman shouted. "He's got it worse than I thought! I've never seen the idiot blush before. I've got to take advantage of this crush of his. I've tried to capture him by holding Amy under fire, but I don't think his feelings are quite strong enough. He saves her, but...I want him completely blinded by his emotions!" He clapped his hands excitedly. "This Winter girl is doing the job perfectly!"

AN: Oh noes! Here comes Eggman! And, what is this? Is Winter working for him? Or does Eggman just get his kicks watching hedgehog courtship rituals? And who is Agent W? All will be revealed if you keep reading...


	6. Chapter 6

Fire crackled in an enormous fireplace in the main den of the lodge. In two chairs closest to the flame, sat Sonic and Winter. He still shivered a little as he took a drink from a steaming cup. Winter's eyes were cast towards the carpet.

"I'm so sorry, Sonic. Why didn't you tell me you were so cold?"

"I didn't really notice until we s-stopped."

"Well, I hope you don't get sick because of this." Sonic smiled over the rim of his cup.

"It would be worth it." His eyes sparkled at her, and she caught her breath.

"Come on, no it wouldn't. If I made you sick-"

"No, really. I mean it. I wouldn't care. Today has been...amazing. I haven't had this much fun in a long time."

"Me neither, actually." She smiled back at him.

"But I'm surprised you could fit it into your busy schedule."

"Oh, I haven't been that busy lately. Eggman's been laying low. He's probably got something interesting brewing for me. But for now, I'll wait until he gets those creative juices flowing."

"But isn't there anything else you do?"

"Well, I don't save people's cats from trees and help old ladies cross the street if that's what you mean."

"No, no. What do you do with yourself when you're not saving people?"

"Oh, I've got all kinds of hobbies. Snowboarding is just one of them. I also surf, fly airplanes, rock-climb, run down the sides of buildings. Does that one count as 'jogging'?" Winter laughed.

"I don't think so, Sonic. Maybe extreme jogging."

"Then everything I do is pretty extreme."

"Sounds like fun."

"It is. I can't really keep my body from wanting to move. Sometimes it's great, but...other times..." Winter moved closer to him. She flicked her eyes quickly around the den and realized that they were alone. Sonic's eyes caught hers and they were so vibrant and open that he felt he could really talk to her.

"Other times?"

"Do you ever have those dreams where you are running on an endless road, and it doesn't take you anywhere?"

"Once or twice."

"I have that dream a lot, and sometimes I feel like..." He trailed off, and tried to smile his way out of it.

"Aw, never mind."

"No, I know what you mean. Like life is taking you nowhere?"

"But, why would I feel that way? Life has taken me _everywhere. _I feel like I've done everything. And there's still so much more. I don't feel like life's a dead end. It doesn't make any sense. You know?" She looked at him, and her eyes seemed wise.

"Only _you _know what you really want in life, Sonic. So just go for it."

"But that's what I've been doing. I can't really think of anything I want, that I don't already have." His eyes wandered towards the fire, and stayed there. Winter sat back in her chair and sighed with contentment. She felt so comfortable with Sonic, and she was starting to really sink into the feeling. She also felt like he was going to leave soon, and she would really have to concentrate on her other duties of the day to get her mind off of him once he left. For now, she just let her thoughts drift. For the past year, since Winter had bought the lodge, she had felt too mature, like she was wasting time with work. She had wanted to get out more and breathe the fresh air. And the first day in a long time that she had really snowboarded had been yesterday. When she had met Sonic. Since then, she felt like she was a few years younger. He made her feel alive again. She almost wanted to tell him how she felt, but it would be too soon. They only met yesterday. She did, however, want to know if he was on the same page as her. Did he want to spend more time with her?

"Sonic?" His eyes were closed, and she wondered if he'd fallen asleep.

"Hmm?"

"I really like you." His eyes blinked open, and the pupils widened. For a split second, he almost looked scared.

"Was it too soon to say that? I'm sorry, I should've-"

"No, it's okay." He chuckled and shook his head.

"It's just that...ha, ha. I was just thinking about saying the same thing to you, without making you head for the hills."

"I still might." Her eyebrows arched.

"What?" Sonic realized she was pulling his leg when he saw her eyes wander over to her snowboard, which was propped up close by.

"And that's...a good thing, isn't it?"

"Yes." They both laughed.

"So...does this mean you'll go out with me sometime? Like, on a date?" Winter nodded, not able to say anything because she was so relieved.

"I mean, I know we just met, but I'd like to get to know you even more, and..."

"A date would be nice. We can always be friends if we aren't good at the romance thing." Sonic laughed.

"We might have to. I've never had a girlfriend before. At least not one that I chose myself. So, you don't mind that I'm younger than you?"

"What, by two years? Who cares?"

"Right." He nodded. Suddenly he stood up in the chair.

"Whoa. I forgot about Tails. Do you still want to meet him?"

"Sure! I forgot, too! Poor Tails. Let's go."

"You don't want me to go get him and bring him here?"

"I kind of wanted to see his workshop and his planes. Would it be okay if you took me there?"

"No problem."

When they were standing outside of the lodge, Sonic looked over at Winter nervously. The only people he'd ever carried, he'd never had these strange feelings for. What if he dropped her? But he was too sure-footed to slip. He hadn't tripped on anything since he'd been eight years old. He knelt down close to Winter.

"Just uh...climb into my arms. Yeah, like that. And put _your _arms around my...good, that's right." Winter held onto him tightly.

"That's a good grip you have. You're gonna need it."

"Okay, I'm ready." Her face was pressed close to his and he just knew she could feel him blush. She laughed.

"Loosen up, I don't bite." She placed her lips very lightly on his cheek.

"Oh, no, you don't bite, you just kiss. You know, I'm trying to get the blood flowing to my legs, not my face." She laughed.

"Well, I won't say I'm sorry." She felt his arms squeeze her tightly.

"You don't need to. Just don't do it when I'm running or we'll be having tree for dinner." She giggled.

"Okay, I'm still ready. You can run now." He nodded and placed one leg in front of him, and launched forward on the one behind him. Winter's heart leaped up in her chest as they picked up speed, and when she heard and felt the sonic boom behind them, she shrieked with glee. This was a whole other high that she could get into.

Deep in a faraway jungle, a chilling sound bounced off the trees. It boomed out of Eggman's base, and a flock of birds took flight. It was the sound of his triumphant laughter.


	7. Chapter 7

When Sonic got tired of hearing Tails go on and on about the technicalities of his gadgets and complex machines, he turned his attention to Winter. Her eyes were rapt with wonder, and when she bent over to examine something, a wisp of white hair kept tickling her eyelashes. She always swept it away subconsciously, and even blew it away with a blast of air once or twice. He tried not to stare at her too much, feeling a little intrusive. He always felt uncomfortable when Amy Rose stared at him like that. But Winter had said she liked him...

Just when he was about to look away again, Winter glanced up and smiled at him. She pointed at her watch, then flashed her hand, fingers splayed, twice. Sonic nodded. Ten minutes. _Well, easier said than done. Once Tails gets going..._ He thought. Then he shrugged to himself. It didn't matter. He'd been with her all day anyway.

He quietly slipped out the door of the workshop and walked along the hidden plane strip. When he got to the edge, he looked out at the sea. When he looked at it for too long, his stomach lurched and he scanned the horizon instead. It wasn't the height, he actually liked high places. It was the vast amount of water that made him nervous. He never _did_ learn how to swim.

"There you are!" The girlish voice was so sudden and loud, it made him jump. He normally didn't startle easily, but the events of the day had him keyed- up, and the water had made him pensive. He felt his spines harden involuntarily.

"What are you doing here, Sonic? And so idle! That's not usual for you." He rolled his eyes. Amy wouldn't be half as bothersome if she didn't know everything about him. She was worse than his mother that way. He blinked hard, trying not to sound as prickly as he felt.

"Nothing, really. Just enjoying the view." The sun was setting and the wind whispered through the palm trees.

"_This _view? But there's so much water. You _hate_ water." She sat down and dangled her legs over the edge. Sonic remained standing.

"Yeah, but I don't mind it so much as long as I'm not in it."

"You should really learn how to swim, Sonic. It's fun." He was silent. The wind blew softly at their quills, and the sky turned a deep orange.

"This is nice." Amy sighed. "Look how beautiful the sky is." She pushed herself back on her feet and stood closer to Sonic. She put a hand on his chest.

"Would you save me if I jumped?" She whispered. He blinked, taken aback. The question was so ridiculous that he just had to poke fun at her.

"Considering I can't swim and all, I don't think I'd do you much good."

She just laughed and looked deeply into his eyes.

"You'd just let me drown, then?"

"No, I wouldn't. I'd call for Tails and he'd pull you out, Amy."

"What if Tails wasn't around?"

"Amy. This is stupid. You wouldn't jump, anyway. I know you're smarter than that."

She opened her mouth to say something else, but Sonic's attention was suddenly drawn to something behind her. He flashed a brilliant white smile, and for a split second, her heart jumped in her chest when she thought it was for her.

"Pretty awesome kid, isn't he?" He said as he moved away from her. When Amy spun around, she saw him walking towards a pale girl hedgehog.

"Yeah, he really knows his stuff."

"I didn't think he would capture your interest for so long. You like gadgets?"

"Oh, yeah. Have you ever tried out Extreme Gear?"

"Are you kidding? It's a blast! I've been in quite a few races. It's not as fast as me, but..."

"Well, it's plenty fast for the rest of us slow folks. I know Wave pretty well. Talk about an awesome techie."

"Yeah, she's got real talent. Tails looks up to-"

"Um, hey there! Sonic, aren't you gonna tell me who your friend is?"

"Oh sorry, Amy." He said, airily. "This is Winter." Amy knew well enough who she was, since she'd been following them all day, but she pretended to be impressed.

"Not Winter Birchwood?"

"The one and only!" Sonic nodded at the girl with pride. She just shook her head.

"Sonic, come on, now."

"Wow! You have always been someone I wanted to meet! How did you run into Sonic?"

"Well, it was only the other day, and-"

"You mean you _just _met him?"

"I guess so, but-"

"It feels like it's been way longer, though." Sonic's voice had a gentle tone to it that Amy had always longed to hear. Winter playfully punched his arm, just like a boy would.

"Everything seems longer to you. You practically make time stand still."

"True enough!" There was that smile again, and a laugh that was painful in Amy's ears. She didn't know how much longer she could stand to be around the two of them.

"Well, it was nice meeting you. I've gotta head home now. My name's Amy Rose, by the way."

"Okay, Amy. See you around. Stop by my lodge for a free lesson sometime."

"Oh, I don't need lessons. I'm pretty good at snowboarding, actually." Amy said, her tone defensive.

"Hey, awesome. Come by for a challenge, then!" Winter winked at her. She turned to Sonic.

"How good is she, Sonic?" She asked him, but kept her eyes flitting between the two of them, playfully.

"Pretty good. Amy was in the EG races too. She's got some great moves. Right, Amy?" His green eyes barely landed on Amy before they were back to Winter again. He wanted to be alone with her. Amy had almost blushed at Sonic's compliment on her skills, but was shaken out of it by the way he brushed her off at the same time.

"Uh, sure..." She muttered. When she saw Sonic's hand slip into Winter's, she turned her back on them. Her vision blurred, and she stumbled on a rock. She barely noticed Winter's scolding tone in the background, then she heard Sonic's again.

"Hey, Amy?" She turned around slowly.

"Yeah?" Her voice was small.

"Take care of yourself." Her legs grew weak as she had a sudden flashback. Sonic trapped behind glass, his hands pressed against it. Eggman getting ready to push the button that would launch him into outer space. She thought then that he would die. _Take care of yourself. _That was the last thing he would have said to her.

"Wha?" She blinked.

"I just mean that it's getting dark out. Don't let your guard down."

"Oh, I'll be all right, silly. The train's just right down there."

"Do you want us to walk down with you?" Winter asked. Her eyes glimmered with concern. Amy didn't want her pity.

"No, I'll be fine. Really. See you." She turned and almost ran down the steps to the station.

The unthinkable had happened, and there was nothing she could do. Sonic, her Sonic, was falling in love. With a really nice girl named Winter.


	8. Chapter 8

The sky darkened, and the stars came out slowly. They always reminded Winter of her childhood, when she and her sister would try to hide from their parents, waiting until the absolute last minute to come inside. She had always felt like the stars were just starting their night, and all those mysteries of the dark would be closed off to her as she lay in bed.

"Hey, Tails?" She blinked as Sonic's voice broke through.

"Yeah?"

"Could you take Amy home? She's pretty upset."

"Geez. I don't blame her. The way you two are hanging off of each other in front of her." The little orange fox lifted off into the violet sky, still muttering to himself. Sonic was at her shoulder.

"Hanging off of each other?" He said, chuckling.

"That's a little...much."

Winter turned around, looking into his eyes. The last light of the day was caught in them, and they glowed.

"Is she…?"

"Unhealthily obsessed with me? Pretty much."

"I was going to say 'in love', actually."

"It sure doesn't feel like love. She's always there when I don't want her to be. I mean, I don't lock my house, but I'm starting to feel like-"

Suddenly there was a deafening screech. The two hedgehogs jumped and their ears swiveled over to the train station. Without a word, Sonic dashed down the hill. Winter followed, almost as fast. She wasn't sure what was going on, but for a split second before he had started running, he had looked terrified.

When he made it to the tracks, a handful of people and animals were standing on tiptoe, trying to see around the train. His stomach tightened painfully.

"Sonic!" A young bunny approached him. "One of your friends got hit!" Behind him, Winter saw Sonic's face drain of all color. Without a second thought, he vaulted up onto the train, then down to the other side. Winter wasn't sure if she should follow, but when she thought of Tails and Amy and the train, she couldn't wait. She ran to the front of the train and jumped over the track. She heard him before she saw him. A few yards away, Sonic was kneeling on the ground and his agonized moan cut through the air. Her heart squeezed painfully at the sound.

"No…" She whispered to herself. She walked over slowly.

"Sonic?" Her voice caught. "Are they…?"

He glanced over his shoulder, making brief eye contact before looking back at the bundle of fur huddled on the ground. She caught a flash of blood on his white gloves. Fighting back a scream, she moved closer. Dropping down to her knees, she placed a hand on the orange fur.

"I...I don't know if...Oh, God…" Sonic's voice cracked and he turned his head to the side, covering his mouth with the stained glove. His body gave a violent shudder. Winter was sure he would lose it. But then he blinked hard and turned to Tails again.

"Where's Amy?" Winter whispered. Then Tails moved, and there wasn't time to think.

"Tails?" Sonic bent close. His eyes were brimming with tears, and they went unchecked down his face. But it wasn't Tails who was moving. A white hand pushed out from underneath him, and then they saw a pink ear. Amy crawled out slowly. Winter lent her a hand, while Sonic just stared. His eyes held a mixture of disbelief, and something else. Something dangerous.

His voice was quiet, but carried the threat of a knife.

"What have you done?"

Winter and Amy looked at him, both a little afraid.

"Sonic-"

"Did you jump in front of that train?"

"No! I...Tails...he saved me."

"You've killed him!" Sonic was pulling Tails's limp form close to him now. Winter just stared. She couldn't believe any of this was happening. Amy's eyes were suddenly empty. As they sat there watching Sonic fall apart, footsteps approached. Soon there were several paramedics around them, and they had to fight to get Tails on a gurney. Sonic had started shaking uncontrollably now, and he cursed, his eyes blazing at Amy. The paramedics had hooked Tails up to monitors. There was a beeping sound.

"He has a pulse." One of them said. "It's tacky at 400 bp's." Winter slowly approached Sonic. His eyes held a rage she never would have imagined from someone like him. It was like all of the energy in him had rushed to the surface. A flash of Super Sonic blazed in her mind. Could he reach that form through pure rage? She was also a bit surprised with his reaction. Didn't he care about Amy too? Why was he so quick to place the blame? Had she tried something like this before? Hesitant, she touched his shoulder. He flinched away, but she held on. Her voice was calm.

"Sonic." He whipped around, his eyes burning. Her heart jumped, but she stood her ground.

"Tails is alive, Sonic. He's alive." She gave him a little shake with the last word. After a moment or two, the dangerous light in Sonic's eyes faded. He seemed to crumble before her, his knees giving out. She held on to his arms and knelt with him. She could almost see the energy leaving his body. She glanced over at Amy, who was also on her knees. She was surrounded by the paramedics, but between black-clothed elbows and shoulders, Winter caught a glimpse of one of her haunted eyes. It hadn't registered to her that Tails was alive. She turned back to Sonic. He was looking over at Tails. They had stabilized him, and were transferring him to the ambulance truck.

"He's at 150 bp's now. Let's get him to the hospital."

"Sonic." Winter whispered. "We should go with him."

His eyes were almost as haunted as Amy's, but he swallowed hard, then nodded. She tried to smile at him.

"He's alive, Sonic. It's going to be okay." Her hand landed on his chest, and his heart felt like a butterfly trapped under his skin.

AN: Yes, everyone. I'm back. I have a renewed interest in this story again, and... DRAMA! I hope you can handle it, dear readers!


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